BOYNE CITY — The Boyne City High School Drama Department will bring the magic of the stage musical “Mary Poppins” to life for five performances over the next two weekends.

The stage musical is an outgrowth of the book series by P. L. Travers and the 1964 Walt Disney movie of the same name.

The directors of the production note that while the stage musical includes many of the well-known songs from the Disney movie including “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” “Step In Time,” Chim-Chim-Cheree,” “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” and “Spoon Full of Sugar,” it also includes several new numbers. The story line of the stage musical, while similar, also varies some from the movie.

As the story begins, jack-of-all trades, Bert, introduces the audience to England in 1910 and the troubled Banks family. Young Jane and Michael have sent many a nanny packing before Mary Poppins arrives on their doorstep. Using a combination of magic and common sense, she must teach the family members how to value each other again. Mary Poppins takes the children on many magical and memorable adventures, but Jane and Michael aren’t the only ones upon whom she has a profound effect. Even grown-ups can learn a lesson or two from the nanny who advises that “Anything can happen if you let it.”

Boyne City High School Drama Department Director Michael Houser noted that, like many past years’ productions, “Mary Poppins” includes several high-energy full cast or large group dance numbers. He also noted that the show is very technically challenging including a large, complex set requiring the cast to spend a great deal of time practicing set change choreography along with all the other aspects of the show. Houser also noted that the show also required all of the cast to learn at least one accent for their lines and singing.

The directors noted that in addition to the hard work that the cast has put into the show since early January, a large group of community volunteers have put in hundreds of hours of work on sets, costumes and other efforts surrounding the show have been a key in bringing the production to life.

The show includes a cast of more than 50 students. Students in lead roles include Lauren Fitzpatrick as Mary Poppins, Quentin Nottage as Bert, Xander Napont as George Banks, Kathryn Zucker as Mrs. Winifred Banks, Auriana Leismer as Jane Banks, Will Maginity as Michael Banks, Claire Ivie as Mrs. Brill, Jacob Alger as Robertson Ay, Lizzie Yell as Miss Andrew, Emily Mansfield as Mrs. Corry, and Rhianna Furness as the Bird Woman.

Reserved seating tickets for all five shows are sold in advance online at boynehs.tix.com or at Lynda’s Real Estate Service at 27 S. Lake St. in downtown Boyne City. Tickets will be available to purchase online up until about two hours before each performance’s show time. At that time, online sales for that day’s performance will close and tickets may be purchased at the school’s box office. Tickets are $15 for patron seats (center section, lower two-thirds of the house) and $10 for all other seats.

Show times are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 9-10 and March 16-17, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 11.